The invention proposes a multi-axis work centre, for multiple production, especially, but not exclusively, for wood working, including a base for the piece to be manufactured, a structure, mobile along this base according to a first numerically controlled axis, a pair of carriages mounted on said structure on opposite ends and mobile along a second numerically controlled axis, with the same number of xe2x80x9ctool-groupsxe2x80x9d each of which mounted onto mobile supports, independently, along a third numerically controlled axis, orthogonal to the previous ones.
The term xe2x80x9ctool-groupxe2x80x9d refers to a device upon which various tools can be mounted, for example, a chuck, or a tool holder head, in turn fitted with one or more degrees of freedom, preferably around rotation axes.
In compliance with a particular version preferred by the invention, a chuck and boring head with independent mandrels, mobile between a first position in which fits perfectly within the support and a second operative position, which juts out compared to the first, are mounted onto on one or both said supports mounted on the carriages.
According to the invention, in this way the machine allows for use of different groups of tools on a single structure and with a single control allowing for different productions to be carried out at the same time on the same piece, and allowing for the elimination of dead production times, for example, by programming the machine so that when a tool group stops to replace the tool, the other continues to work.
Preferably, the mobile structure along the base is a overhanging structure and the supports of the tool groups are made up of mobile carriages along said overhanging structure.
In the field of automatic tool machines, various types of machines used to carry out production through the removal of material are wellknown. Generally these machines include a support mobile along three Cartesian axes upon which an interchangeable tool is mounted which can be a pin drill, a milling cutter or similar.
Machines in which a chuck or a so-called xe2x80x9cend effectorxe2x80x9d are mounted onto this support are also well-known, that is to say a further support of numerous tools aimed at carrying out various kinds of production, a support that is often mobile along one or more polar axes.
Machines which include a base upon which the piece to be manufactured are also well-known, for example from patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,252,011; a first mobile support along this base in the direction of a first axis, a second support mounted onto said first support and mobile along a second axis orthogonal to the previous one, and a tool holder structure mounted onto said support and mobile along a third axis, orthogonal to the first two.
A tool-holder head is mounted onto this structure fitted with one or more degrees of freedom.
Machines of this kind are well-known, used however in different fields from wood working, in particular in the manufacture of steel parts, for example, for the construction of moulds, or composite materials or similar.
In the wood working field these machines are not considered to be suitable as this is a field that often requires replacement of the tool-group to carry out different manufacturing processes, for example moving from milling operations to drilling operations or vice versa, with excessive machine standstill periods. For this reasons separate machines are normally used, but of a more simple and economic kind.
The present relates to this sector as it proposes a multifunctional multiple production work centre in particular for wood working which includes an overhanging structure mobile along a base upon which the piece to be manufactured is mounted, and a support or a pair of supports mounted on opposite ends of said overhanging structure and mobile along a second axis, on each of which a separate tool-group is mounted.
This allows for two different types of processes to be carried out, using the same machine after having replaced the tool group, or to continue work with one group while the tool is being replaced on the other.
According to a specific preferred version of the invention, on at least one of said second supports a boring head is mounted, said boring head being mobile between a position in which it is inserted within the support and an operative position in which it overhangs compared with the same, as well as a second device which may be a chuck or another well-known tool holder device.